


Heart of Emeralds

by Ohlookitstomorrow



Series: The Colour of Emeralds [2]
Category: The Wicked Years Series - Gregory Maguire, Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: Brief references to stillbirth, Elphaba is a closet softie, Everyone loves our little gay witches, F/F, Fertility Issues, Glinda is the perfect cinnamon roll and I just want to wrap her in a warm hug!, Mini-sequel to The Colour of Emeralds, Nanny is such a badass and I lover her!, Nessarose might have more going on than meets the eye, Sexual Content, unadulterated fluff, with some angst thrown in for good measure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 18:40:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17772140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ohlookitstomorrow/pseuds/Ohlookitstomorrow
Summary: While attending Shell's wedding in Colwen Grounds, Glinda hears some news that re-ignites some of her old fears.Elphaba, unaware of the cause of Glinda's sudden melancholy, feels as though her world is crumbling at her feet, a world she'd built with Glinda.





	Heart of Emeralds

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so happy to be returning to this story, I've absolutely loved writing this!
> 
> This mini-sequel can be read as a one-shot, but if that's the case for you, then some of the finer plot points will not make much sense. If you've not already read The Colour of Emeralds, then that would probably be the best thing to do before you proceed.

At the end of a long, gravel drive, an old Manor House stood proudly against the dark backdrop of the night: Colwen Grounds was a contradiction, the dark, stone, structure held the appearance of a fortress, while the crystal windows lit in a delicate glow, was reminiscent of a palace.

It had been over a year since Glinda had travelled to her lover’s, ancestral home; and as the carriage jolted to a stop, she lifted her head from Elphaba’s shoulder and was immediately entranced. 

During Glinda’s first stay here, she remembered the manor’s lack of electric light only too well. Although it made navigation of the house’s long, twisting hallways, a nightmare, Glinda hadn’t minded the darkness as much as she should’ve - after all, it had been the lack of visibility that had lead to the beginning of her relationship with Elphaba. That had, perhaps, been the best night of Glinda’s life.

In the three years that Nessarose had taken over as Eminent Thropp, she too had been suspicious of electricity, but Elphaba had said her Sister’s new private secretary, and unsurprisingly, Nanny, had managed to wrangle their own way.

In one of her letters, Nessa had written to Glinda complaining that her home now looked like a questionable theatre in The Emerald City, or worse, the lights of Lurlinemas.

Glinda definitely agreed with Nanny, and the mysterious secretary she’d heard so much about - Colwen Grounds had an air of beauty with the windows sparkling like glittering jewels in the light.

“I hate to say it, but I can see where Nessarose is coming from - it is awfully extravagant,” Elphaba remarked as she straightened the fabric of Glinda’s dusty-lilac skirt.

Slapping her lover’s hand away, Glinda levelled her with a stare and lowered her voice in chastisement: “yes, Elphie, you would, you thought the beautiful, purple, silk bedspread I bought was extravagant - your taste is terribly awful!”

“It can’t be that bad,” Elphaba teased while inching her face closer to Glinda’s. “After all, I chose you, didn’t I?”

Lips met lips, and Glinda tried to stop herself from smiling. She’d once met an abrasive, outspoken woman with a heart as hard as steel, but now, her Elphie felt so far removed from that person, Glinda often wondered whether she was imagining their first meeting in parallel light.

She loved this - the sweet, playful side to the woman she'd chosen to share her life with - both of them were now well into their third decade, but Glinda thought of them more as lovestruck youths. Lovestruck youths who’d been down the roughest of roads, and crossed the hardest of terrains, but still they’d managed to find one another, their better half, and cultivate a love so grand, it may as well have come from the page. 

The pages of one book in particular... not that either of them had ever cracked the spine in the years since they’d built a home together. It sat on a shelf, in a room that was deliberately reminiscent of their first time in one another’s arms, it was a private acknowledgement by them both, a nod to their beginnings. 

Glinda had been very naive, her view on love had been tainted in red, and her deepest desires came from fairy tales. But the colour of Emeralds had corrected her vision, and Elphaba surpassed all of Glinda’s greatest dreams.

The door of the carriage was opened, Glinda shrieked in surprise - she hadn’t wanted anyone to catch her in such an unladylike position, straddling her lover’s knees, head thrown back in passion as sharp teeth nipped at the sensitive underside of her jaw. 

Growling, Elphaba drew Glinda to her chest, cocooning her in the protection of strong arms “Shell,” it was a warning, not a greeting.

“Good evening, Sister, dear.” Shell, the youngest of the Thropp siblings, ducked his smiling face into the carriage and flashed a devilish grin. Although he was now a man, and not the teen Glinda had first met, Shell still retained his boyish appearance - dark-brown curls fell to half-cover shining eyes, a childlike dimple was the only indent on sallow skin. 

While Elphaba's green skin immediately set her apart from her siblings, she and Nessarose did bear striking similarities. One could immediately see that the two were related. But Shell hardly resembled his Sister's at all. His appearance was far less intimidating than the severe, haughty air that surrounded the Thropp women. 

“And, dear Glinda, of course,” the young man doffed an imaginary cap before prompting them to exit the carriage and follow him inside.

Shell walked with a spring in his step, and Glinda couldn’t blame him - he was on the cusp of marrying the love of his life.

* * *

* * *

As the sun was in the infancy of its ascent the following morning, Elphaba blinked repeatedly, barely managing to stifle a yawn. She went to slip out of bed, but moving any further than a few inches proved difficult - Glinda had curled herself into Elphaba's side, the warm weight of her, an inviting presence.

Elphaba allowed her eyes to drift over the form of her sleeping lover. She’d always been an early riser, but now she had a solid reason to do so. Often, when they were at home in their cottage, and neither of them had work or any place to be, Elphaba would spend the moments until Glinda awoke in quiet admiration, cataloging each and every feature, and wondering just what she could have done to deserve the love of such a woman.

She wasn’t religious by any means, but looking upon the beauty that was Glinda, Elphaba couldn’t help but wholeheartedly believe in the presence of angels.

Sometimes, Glinda would open her eyes with a smile on her face, clear that she’d been awake for some time, but content to lay still under the love and protection of Elphaba’s gaze.

Smiling sweetly, Glinda would great her with the soft pepper of lips, quickly growing bolder and more passionate They’d been together long enough, but still, each time they felt the other’s touch, it was like a spark of electricity, like they were discovering pleasure anew.

Sometimes, it would take Glinda longer to wake than Elphaba had the patience for. She’d allow her hands to wander tentatively, and when Glinda still didn’t rouse, Elphaba employed other methods.

She kissed the spot on Glinda’s neck that never failed to garner a hitch of breath. 

She nibbled across the underside of Glinda's jaw, drawing nearer to a pointed ear. There she would whisper words of love and desire, ‘til blue eyes flickered open, still clouded by the mist of sleep, but darkening each passing moment as Elphaba would come to rest between her legs.

With Glinda awake, Elphaba would allow her control to slip, utilising her mouth and hands until cries echoed above her.

While the temptation to wake Glinda in much the same manner, was very much present, Elphaba had other matters to attend to. 

Due to the lateness of their arrival, she’d yet to see Nessarose, who, thankfully, also rose with the sun. Despite both of them maturing in the past few years - Elphaba now had a life filled with love and happiness, and Nessarose had responsibilities shaping the future of Munchkinland - Elphaba continued to feel the need to look after her Sister. The tragedy of Nessa’s birth still weighed heavily on Elphaba’s mind, it was a pang of guilt she would never be without.

It had been a while since they’d seen one another, and Nessa’s letters had been full of complaints and devoid of any religious or moral preaching. Perhaps it was unnecessary, but Elphaba was worried over the uncharacteristic nature of her Sister’s writings.

After much protesting from a still, sleeping Glinda, Elphaba mournfully closed the door to their room and set off down the halls. It had taken all her willpower not to fall back into bed as Glinda instinctively held tight while Elphaba slipped from her embrace, but she knew that Glinda too wanted answers, particularly on the subject of Nessa’s new staffing appointment.

She found Nessarose in an office that Elphaba had once called her own: behind the desk, her Sister sat with a cup of tea in one hand, and a letter in the other. The large, round reading-glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, and the pursed lips, had Nessa looking much older than her years, she had all the attributes of a stateswoman. Yet another stark realisation why Nessarose was always set to have been a better politician than Elphaba ever could have.

"You've cut down the tree..."

Nessarose lifted her head, and Elphaba was surprised to see how at peace her Sister looked - she'd thought with all her complaining that Nessa would look haggard and tired. "Fabala," the younger woman smiled, "I wondered when I'd be seeing you, I wasn't sure if Glinda would have changed your rooster-ish habit."

Flushing slightly at the thought of her usual Glinda filled mornings, Elphaba moved to embrace her Sister before taking the seat opposite the window. "How are you, Nessa?"

The Eminent levelled her guest with a stare that told Elphaba her Sister was very aware of her awkward avoidance, but thankfully, Nessarose chose not to mention it. "I'm fine, Fabala, and I didn't cut down the tree."

A tall tree had once stood outside The Eminent's window, it had blocked all forms of light, but yet, no one had removed it. That tree had been at Colwen Grounds for as long as anyone could remember.

Elphaba raised a brow inquisitively, and Nessarose huffed before taking a china cup from the silver tea service sat at the edge of her desk: as she handed her Sister a cup of steaming, black tea, she answered; "another one of Natalia's home improvements - heavily influenced by Nanny, might I add."

Natalia - Nessarose's new private secretary - Elphaba was sick reading complaints about the girl, was she now to be forced to hear them in person also? "From your letters, I'd gathered that your professional relationship with her seemed to be lacking, if you dislike the girl so much, Nessa, then why did you hire her?"

"I was ' _strongly_ ' advised..." Nessarose grumbled into her teacup.

Elphaba had to suppress a chuckle - under the new precedences (which she'd helped create) 'strongly advised' meant that Nessarose had no hand in her secretaries employment at all. The elected cabinet of Munchkinland (the power behind the throne, if you will) had, in better want of a word, effectively _told_ their Emminent to hire Miss Natalia.

"Why don't you tell them it's just not working out," Elphaba suggested.

"I never said I wished to have her employment terminated," Nessa snapped, removing her glasses and pinching the bridge of her nose. "At least she listens to me, almost as if she cares what I _think_... as if she cares how I _feel_. It's... refreshing, she hardly ever agrees, and always has something sarcastic quip at the ready, but it's nice to have someone to talk to nonetheless."

It was startling, Elphaba realised that her Sister was lonely, just as she had once been, before Glinda came into her life. Unsure of an appropriate response, Elphaba went with; "Nanny seems fond of her..."

Smiling - whether at the thought of Nanny or Natalia, Elphaba wasn't sure - Nessarose leaned back in her chair; "yes, well, Nanny's always had a penchant for questionable characters."

For the first time, Elphaba could remember, The Eminent's office in Colwen Grounds was filled with laughter.

* * *

* * *

The remainder of the day had been enjoyable, even Glinda and Fiyero (who had left his post in The Vinkus to attend Shell's wedding) had managed to get along - although, that didn't stop Glinda from expressing her distaste for the man to Elphaba every time he turned his back. 

Elphaba had to hide her enjoyment at the thoroughly protective show her lover was putting on. Glinda had barely let go of her hand all throughout luncheon, it had been comical the way the blonde had eyed the interfering fish on her plate, internally cursing the fact that she would require the use of her two hands.

Nanny and Avaric had taken up the post of entertainers for the evening, even Nessarose laughed at their antics. Glinda suspected, and Elphaba had to agree, that Nanny and Avaric met up from time-to-time, perhaps venturing to one of Nanny's illicit establishments. 

When Glinda teased that Nanny and the, once, Margrave of Tenmedows might make a good match, Elphaba cackled uncontrollably.

Elphaba felt proud to see her family so happy and content, as was she. 

Nanny was as mischievous as ever, and in the large gathering of guests, the old woman was in her element. Elphaba was forever grateful for all that Nanny had done for her, not to mention the fact that the old woman had once clubbed a would-be-assassin round the head to protect her.

Shell and Pikney sat in the corner of the room, absorbed in one another, non-plussed at the conversation around them. Her Brother had once been a tearaway, lost without a Mother or stable Father figure, Elphaba was elated that Shell had found a woman that loved him wholeheartedly and would look after him to the best of her ability. Although the tearaway aspect of Shell's personality was still there, now he and Pikney joined forces and shared in their misadventures.

Nessarose was the most changed, however. And in the best way possible.

Oz had transformed considerably since The Wizard's departure, society was now much more egalitarian, but some protocols had remained. Nessarose, a traditionalist by anybody's standards, seemed to have cast the old world away. Elphaba had been surprised to see Natalia, a _servant_ , present at dinner, she'd been surprised even further when it was revealed that Nessarose had invited her.

Although they'd done nothing but argue, Elphaba could tell there was no real malice behind it. Everyone had stopped eating when Natalia had openly disagreed with her employer about the realism of the Unnamed God. The tension had been rife, but it needn't have been, Nessarose listened to the girl's argument and countered it with her own, and that was that. It had never been seen before, Nessarose didn't tolerate the views of others, it had Elphaba suspecting that _maybe_... no, the idea was ridiculous.

When Elphaba and Glinda fell into bed that night, both of them were slightly giddy from champagne, and they fell asleep before either of them could undress.

* * *

* * *

Rain drizzled against the window bleakly the next morning. Strangely, it was Glinda who departed the room first; two dresses, three pairs of shoes, and various other bits and bobs were laden in her arms - why anyone needed that many outfit choices, was beyond Elphaba. As Pikney's only bridesmaid, it was up to Glinda to see that her former ladies maid was present and correct. Elphaba was not neglected, however. Glinda had laid out a dress of deep-purple satin with an overlay of black tulle before she'd left.

Elphaba hoped that the weather was not a sign for the day ahead, superstition was a fools game, but she had to question her Brother in tempting fate: really, who opted to get married on Friday the 13th?

She spent the next hour, or so, engrossed in cataloguing a few of the books that were littered around her old room. All of them were of the non-fiction variety, ranging from a wide array of subjects; from human psychology to Ozian myths, to Animals and animals.

Eventually, the hour struck twelve and Elphaba had to don her gown and pin her hair. Before she met Glinda, her clothes had been drab, and her hair never ventured from its customary braid, she'd been anything but pretty. Her world had been full of darkness, but Glinda, and all that she was, had found her like a whirlwind, and now, Elphaba felt as though she lived at the end of a rainbow.

Elphaba could hardly recognise her own reflection these days, especially at that moment; when she looked up and saw her tall, thin, form draped in purple, her hair flowing around her shoulders like waves in the night, she almost smiled.

She hoped Glinda would not be disappointed.

* * *

* * *

All women looked beautiful on their wedding day, or so Elphaba had heard, and Pikney was no exception. Floating down the aisle in an off-white, lace dress, Elphaba thought the bride looked full of life - she bestowed a glowing smile to all she passed, and there were no hints of last-minute nerves.

In fact, if Elphaba wasn't mistaken, it was Glinda - dressed in lilac, following Pikney to the altar - that looked unsure and melancholy. Her bright, blue eyes had filled with clouds unreadable, her small hands grasped her bouquet tightly - threatening to snap the stems in two - but it was the way Glinda held herself that bothered Elphaba the most. 

Glinda, a woman renowned for her confidence and charm, looked so small as she stood at the head of the church, like a child, and all Elphaba wanted to do, was wrap the blonde in her arms and tell her whatever it was, she would make it alright.

Nobody else noticed, why would they? Glinda was smiling, showing the congregation how happy she was for the bride and groom. Only Elphaba saw the mask. Only Elphaba had the power to remove it.

But she couldn't.

Not now.

Not when her Brother was in the middle of saying his vows.

Elphaba watched on, her heart, breaking as Glinda's face fell when the couple said 'I do.'

When the ceremony was over, and proceedings lulled before the festivities, Elphaba managed to catch hold of her lover's wrist and lead her out of anyone's earshot.

"What's wrong, my sweet?" Verdant fingers moved to cup a pale cheek, but Glinda pulled away, disconnecting their gazes completely.

"Nothing... nothing's wrong..."

"Glinda?" Elphaba's lips trembled slightly as her lover moved to step away.

"Just... just leave it, Elphaba. I have to go, I promised Pikney I'd touch-up her make-up before any photographs were taken..."

Dumfounded, and more than a little hurt, Elphaba stared after Glinda's retreating form: sure, they bickered about trivial things sometimes, but afterward, Elphaba had never been left with a feeling of dread weighing heavily in the pit of her stomach.

"Trouble in paradise?"

Fiyero. The last person Elphaba needed to see - or rather, be seen with. 

"No," she lied, quickly trying to kill all means of conversation.

"No? I just thought Lady Glinda looked slightly crestfallen earlier-"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Elphaba snarled. "And she's no longer ' _Lady Glinda_ ,' she renounced her title years ago! Now, if you'll excuse me..."

As Elphaba stepped to the side, Fiyero grasped her arm; "people like that don't change, Elphaba, you know that. She was born to desire certain things, fundamentally, you're both very different... I think that's also something you might be aware of. She's a Lady, Elphaba, and she always will be, it's not her fault, but you can't change her... you're only hurting both of you."

Rage climbed high inside of her, and it took all of Elphaba's willpower not to hit Fiyero there and then. "Get. Your. Hands. Off. Me." Seething, she wrenched herself from Fiyero's grasp and briskly walked in the direction Glinda had headed.

She searched amongst the crowd for over half an hour, but Glinda was nowhere to be seen. 

Just as Elphaba was about to give up, she noticed the door to the balcony stood ajar. She'd stood there long ago, professing to change Oz, and she thought she had delivered on her promise, but something in Fiyero's words had cut deep.

What if she wasn't what Glinda wanted, not really?

Elphaba and Glinda were polar opposites, not like Glinda and Avaric: Avaric, who currently had his arm wrapped around Glinda's shoulders, blonde heads touching familiarly.

A Lady and a Margrave, not a Lady and a witch with awful, green skin, that's how the story ends in those books Glinda was so fond of. Only, Elphaba had hoped they would be the exception to the rule.

She'd dared to dream, was that so wrong?

It seemed Friday the 13th would live up to its name after all.

"Glinda," Elphaba half whispered, "can we talk, please... alone?"

The blonde sat up, away from Avaric, but still, she kept her head bowed and would not meet Elphaba's eyes. "Why?"

"Because," Elphaba breathed, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, "because I love you. You're frightening me, Glinda..."

Avaric, nervously scratching the back of his neck, stood awkwardly; "I think I'll leave you both to... yes, I think I'll leave..."

Neither woman paid him much attention as they were left alone on the balcony, the clouds overhead casting a grey shadow that belied Elphaba's mood.

"Glinda... has this... has this got something to do with marriage?"

The blonde sniffed, and Elphaba took that as an affirmative.

"I asked you to marry me... I _want_ to marry you, Glinda," Elphaba rasped, the hurt in her voice felt as though it was strangling her; "I've been trying so hard, we're so close, _so close_..."

"It's not... It's not," Glinda looked up, and Elphaba could see the tears cascading down her rosy cheeks. "We'll never have what they have, will we?"

Elphaba opened her mouth to reply, but at that moment, the balcony door opened once again, and Glinda jumped from where she sat and ran inside.

Defeated, Elphaba turned to see who had intruded on them. 

Nanny stood in the doorway, concern written on the lines of her face. "She doesn't mean it, ducky, not in the way you think."

She felt utterly broken, no strength left in her body to even ask Nanny what she meant. For the first time since she was a child, Elphaba allowed herself to rush into Nanny's arms, crying as she had the day she'd lost her Mother.

"Give her a moment..."

Her first instinct was to argue, to run to Glinda's side immediately, but deep down, Elphaba knew Nanny was right. 

Inside, a string quartet had started to play, the crowd dispersed into two's and three's, each and every face was jovial - from the looks of it, an elderly man, one of Nanny's acquaintances, was merrier than most, his tumbler of whiskey very near escaping his grip as he gestured wildly in conversation. 

If today had gone different, Elphaba might've smiled. 

She couldn't bring her face to show any expression, how could she, when the only person she'd ever loved, thought her inadequate? 

Trying to hide on the fringes of the room, Elphaba tried to calm her breathing, and think of anything but Glinda... anything but Glinda, alone, heartbroken... lonely. 

Glinda had spent a large portion of her life with no one to care for her, but almost as soon as they'd met, Elphaba couldn't stop herself from wanting to know her... wanting to protect her... to look after her... to share with her... Elphaba had been powerless to stop herself from wanting... _wanting Glinda_... all of her... 

She'd seen Glinda's fabled beauty from the off, hadn't been able to take her eyes off of her that first evening, across the table, in the Chuffrey townhouse, Elphaba had seen the most beautiful creature, an angel, with golden hair and soft, full curves. 

It had taken her longer to look beyond the fur coats, and naive, idealistic dreams. But eventually, little by little, Glinda had removed her layers - Elphaba would never forget the scene she witnessed the first time they visited the Cloister of St. Glinda together. In front of the statue, Glinda had wept, mourning her dreams, the marriage she never had, and most importantly, her Son. 

Elphaba had found a broken heart that day, and the only thing she could do was tear a piece of her own and gift it willingly, hoping that it would be enough. But perhaps her heart was too dark? It had been long dead, not beating a single rhythm until Glinda walked into her life, maybe Elphaba's heart wasn't enough, and never would be?

"I've got a feeling you might be trying to remain inconspicuous, but the wallpaper's red, you know?"

Caught up in her own torment, Elphaba hadn't noticed the young woman now stood to her left. 

Nessarose's private secretary handed her a glass of - "water, it's only water with a dash of lemon," Natalia answered Elphaba's unspoken question. "As I was saying, the wallpaper is red - you don't blend in very easily." 

Elphaba glared at the girl, in the same way, she often chastised Nessa, but Natalia only smirked, deep-blue eyes shining with laughter. 

"At least if we talk, you mightn't be bothered by anyone else."

Natalia was at least a foot shorter than she - around the same height as Glinda - long, mousy-brown hair fell down her back in deep waves, she dressed in silvery-grey, a double strand of pearls serving as the only embellishment, she was hardly the type to ward off any annoying guests. However, Elphaba saw something intriguing in the girl's mischievous expression, and therefore, did not shoo her away.

"Won't my Sister miss your clever wit?" Elphaba asked.

"I'm sure she'll be fine."

Elphaba scanned the room, her eyes quickly landing on Nessa, who was staring straight at them, a slight scowl marring her brow.

"Yes... I'm sorry if she seems harsh sometimes," Elphaba said. "It's not you - Nessarose has been like that since she could talk."

Following Elphaba's gaze, Natalia spoke quietly; "there's nothing to be sorry for, she's kinder than anyone gives her credit... she's given an orphan, like me, a home."

Elphaba tried to hide her surprise at Natalia's statement - from what she'd heard, what she'd observed, she'd have expected the two women to hold nothing but distaste for the other. She'd already deduced that Nessa was, in some way, fond of her private secretary, and appreciated her company, but that hadn't explained Natalia's reasoning - it still didn't. Yes, the girl had said that Nessarose had effectively given her shelter, but she'd called it _home_... what did it all mean?

"I've never witnessed anyone being able to tell my Sister that she's wrong, and actually have her listen," Elphaba said while clearing her throat.

"I think she wants someone... someone to call her own," the last part was whispered, Natalia's eyes drifting back towards Nessarose. "From what I've heard, you were the same," Natalia said, returning her attention to Elphaba once more. "Weren't you bitter and twisted 'til Glinda came into your life?"

Elphaba couldn't answer, not even if she wanted to. Her throat had closed, and her tongue felt like led, stuck to the roof her mouth. Tears pricked her eyes, but she refused to let them fall - she would not cry again today, not in public anyway.

Natalia perceived it all, however. All signs of mischief vanished, as she looked away, giving Elphaba some much-needed privacy. "Perhaps your Sister feels the same?"

Her tongue loosened, and words tumbled from Elphaba's out on impulse; "let's hope she's lucky enough to find someone... there's very few like Glinda..."

Natalia smiled, "indeed, you've been fortunate to find her, Elphaba, and she you."

Tears did escape then, but if Natalia noticed, she didn't say, and for that, Elphaba was grateful.

"Maybe all Nessarose needs to do, is open her eyes," Natalia said softly.

Something in Elphaba's mind clicked, she couldn't make total sense of it, but she knew she needed to find Glinda, she needed to see her now.

"If you'll excuse me..."

"Of course, I'm sure you'll know where to find her, Elphaba."

Yes, Elphaba did know, she walked quickly, her feet taking her a path she knew like the back of her hand.

* * *

* * *

Entering the library that had once been called theirs, Elphaba had to do a double-take to make sure she'd gone through the correct door. So much had changed - the walls lined in dark wood no longer held the same aura: they only carried books whose titles had no meaning. 

"It seems off without the piano..." At the head of the library, in the left-hand corner, a mahogany table sat where a beautiful, original, grand piano had once stood pride of place. Elphaba stared into the distance, looking for a ghost. "It no longer feels like home..."

The sofa had been moved in front of the fire: lit in the dying light of amber, Glinda sat with her back to the leather; knees, drawn to her chest, knuckles, turned white, holding herself together.

Elphaba sat beside her, long legs almost touching the flames, maintaining a physical distance she'd hoped had gone forever after they spent their first night in this very spot. "My home travelled with that piano," she whispered, "and our little cottage feels like more than I could ever deserve."

Glinda did not look up. It seemed like an age had passed when words finally tumbled from her lips, voice dry like gravel. "Pikney... is with child..."

Elphaba held her breath as time seemed to lag: almost as if her feelings were working in slow-motion, the sobs and tears that poured from Glinda's heart, were very much delayed.

Unsure of how her lover would react, Elphaba inched her hand forward tentatively. At the first brush of contact against the soft skin of Glinda's arm, the blonde threw herself into Elphaba's arms.

Despite the fact, Glinda was now draped across her body, Elphaba felt like a weight had been lifted. She inhaled deeply, the scent of sweet strawberries and vanilla, and something that could only be described as, _Glinda_ , permeated the air around them, and instantly, Elphaba felt her heartbeat return to normal.

From the crook of Elphaba's neck, Glinda sniffled, as she took deep, gulping breaths; "I'm so sorry, Elphie... I'm so sorry that it's a gift I'll never be able to give you."

"You've already given me the greatest gift of all, my sweet," Elphaba soothed, her hand tracing patterns of devotion on Glinda's back. "You've given me a home, you've given me a life, you've given me love, you've given me yourself - Glinda, do you not see how special you are? All of those things, all of those things that are a part of who you are, they're all I've ever dreamed of: and please don't think me insensitive when I say this, my sweet, but I've never wished to be a Mother... I've no maternal instinct, not like you..."

Glinda's cries increased with Elphaba's words, and Elphaba thought her candor had been misjudged, until blue eyes, rimmed red, peeked up at her through a mass of blonde curls.

"I'm sorry, Elphie, I'm sorry for being so... silly, today-"

Elphaba opened her mouth, but any protest was cut off by the presence of Glinda's fingers on her lips.

"You'll always be enough for me Elphie, it was I who thought I wouldn't be the same for you. When Pikney told me her news... I cried because I thought I was broken... I thought you'd see me that way-"

"Glinda, I could never-"

"Hush," Glinda breathed, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips, "I know. I know, I just panicked, I overreacted, that's all. I've had the chance to be a Mother, Elphie - I'll always be a Mother, even though my Son isn't here. I know how happy, how proud, Andrew would be, knowing that I have you in my life - you are my life. And I know that when you meet, you and my Son will get along splendidly."

By the end of her speech, Glinda's eyes had cleared of all tears, and only warmth and love replaced them. 

"You know I'm an atheist by nature," Elphaba laughed jokingly, "but I find myself, right now, praying that there is a higher power," her voice, now serious in tone, shook as she imagined what could be. "I pray that when our souls depart this world, there is a higher power that will grant us the family we've always wished for... the family we've always deserved."

Softly, Glinda moved forward until their lips met in a chaste kiss; "I know, deep in my heart," she said as they parted, "that one day, that will come true. But, until then, I'm happy as I am... here... with you."

After the days rollercoaster of events, Elphaba and Glinda sat side by side, content to hold each other for the time being. Neither of them moved until Elphaba turned her head an caught sight of the Grandfather clock: it was after twelve.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my sweet."

Eyes glinting with mirth, Glinda leaned up to place a lingering kiss at the corner of Elphaba's mouth. "Have we any wine to toast the occasion?"

Laughing wildly, Elphaba couldn't help herself from delving to meet Glinda's lips in another kiss. This time, they both moved more deliberately, tongues dancing together passionately, teeth, nipping hungrily.

When the need for air separated them, Elphaba roughly said; "I know something that's far better than any twenty-five-year-old, Gillikineese wine."

"And what might that be?" Glinda moaned.

Lifting the blonde to sit between her legs, back, pressing into her breasts, Elphaba growled into Glinda's ear, her breath, tingling along Glinda's nape, leaving the hairs there, to stand on end. "Why don't I show you?"

As Elphaba's hand slowly progressed up the inside of her thigh, moving lilac chiffon from its path, Glinda whimpered, opening her legs, she relaxed into her lover's touch; "please do..."

Elphaba could feel the wetness of Glinda's arousal as her knuckles brushed the front of delicate lace, her fingers quickly darting around the edges, never leaving enough pressure to give any form of release.

"Elphieee..."

Chuckling dryly, Elphaba ran her sharp teeth over the point where Glinda's neck met her shoulder; "now, now, my sweet, have patience."

"You know I've never been any good at that," Glinda harrumphed, quickly closing her legs, trying to clamp Elphaba's hand in place.

But Elphaba was too fast, she withdrew her hand and Glinda's legs closed around nothing but thin air. "What do you want?" Elphaba cooed, feeling slightly guilty for her teasing, "what do you need, Glinda, tell me?"

"I need you, Elphie," Glinda pleaded.

Returning her hand to rest upon the lace of her lover's underwear, Elphaba whispered reverently; "you have me, my sweet, you always will. But, you'll have to be more specific, what is it you need from me?"

"Inside..." Glinda squirmed in Elphaba's arms as she tied to articulate, "I need you inside of me, please..."

Pushing the lace barrier aside, Elphaba delved two fingers into gloriously, wet heat. "Better?"

"Yes, Elphie... much, much better," Glinda hummed, shifting her hips, indicating it was alright for Elphaba to proceed.

Inch by inch, Elphaba withdrew, until only the tips of her fingers remained sheathed in Glinda's core. Her mouth went dry as Glinda lifted her own hands and grasped her breasts, moaning Elphaba's name.

Quickly, she buried her fingers to the hilt, and on the next retreat, she curled them ever so slightly, caressing that sweet spot that had Glinda thrashing in her arms. 

With each thrust, Elphaba could feel her lover grow closer and closer, and when Glinda allowed her head to fall back, Elphaba met her searching lips with all that she had. 

Her other hand that had, previously, held Glinda's hips in place, joined its twin. Elphaba sought out the sensitive bundle of nerves with her middle and index fingers, and together, both of her hands worked in tandem until Glinda came with a loud cry... still fully clothed.

When her body had stopped shaking, her muscles only vaguely twitching, Glinda removed Elphaba's fingers from between her thighs. She held the hand that had, moments ago, been inside herself, and brought it close to her face. 

Elphaba watched as Glinda studiously examined the wetness that coated her fingers, and then she gasped, stunned, as Glinda took them in her mouth, and sucked them clean.

"Look how far we've come, Elphie... I remember that day when you guided my hand and helped me feel a pleasure I'd never even dared to dream of."

Elphaba's breath caught and expelled on a stifled moan, the memory of Glinda perched on her lap, her hand settling over Glinda's as Glinda touched herself... it was one of the most erotic scenes, rivalled only by the first time she'd seen Glinda completely bare.

Hearing, _feeling_ , Elphaba moan at her back, Glinda swiftly turned, her eyes welling with the magnitude of her love for this woman. "But even that could not compare to the immense pleasure I felt at experiencing you the same way, under my own hand..." Bringing her face close, her breaths warm and laboured, Glinda confessed; "I've dreamt of you each night since we met, and still, my world of sleep is willingly submitted to the colour of emeralds."

**Author's Note:**

> I feel so warm and fuzzy inside - I hadn't realised how much I'd missed these two!
> 
> If you've read the epilogue of The Colour of Emeralds, then you'll know that Glinda and Elphaba do, eventually, get married - thanks to Elphaba's political dedication, and ruthless campaigning. They're just the cutest gays, and I love them... and, I might be tempted to write their wedding in detail at some point.
> 
> Actually, I'd be quite tempted to write anything in The Colour of Emeralds continuum... if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.
> 
> It's been so nice to finish this off and write some unadulterated fluff - with some angst thrown in for good measure - especially after the disaster that was my Monday. If you've watched The Worst Witch 2017, you'll know how heart-breaking Monday's episode was to those of us who ship Hicsqueak (basically, a Gelphie AU pair) and those who ship Hackle. I had started to write a fix-it-fic, but, my poor, gay heart needed a rest and I wanted to get this finished.
> 
> Anyway, don't be afraid to let me know what you think - comments and the like are always much appreciated.
> 
> You can find me on;  
> tumblr @ohlookitstomorrowff  
> instagram @ohlookitstomorrow
> 
> Catch:)


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